Spring Break
NASCAR 09 is an improvement, but still not among racing elite
Brett Fischer
Issue date: 6/27/08 Section: Sports
Developers often need to determine whether or not their main goal should be to improve graphics or game features with a sports video game. One of the biggest problems we see in these games is the repetitive factor, which puts buyers in a difficult situation as to whether or not they should skip a year of their favorite franchise. But after what was somewhat of a disappointing year for NASCAR gamer fans, NASCAR 09 is back and released one of its better EA Sports games in this racing franchise. With help from four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon, gamers unfamiliar with NASCAR can still take full advantage of the several game modes NASCAR 09 offers.
Graphics: This is where the NASCAR series improved the most from last year. The graphics are very smooth and even though the cars may look a little bit too shiny, it is without question the best the series has ever looked and the images are no longer pixilated and choppy. When creating your own car, the model that you build looks like the model on the racetrack which makes the game much more interesting.
Gameplay: Being able to create your own car and choose your own sponsors adds to the overall game play because you are deciding what car you want on the track. NASCAR 09 is not an arcade type game, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what type of gamer you are. It's more of a simulation, which sometimes can work against it because even when you are going max speed, it may still feel as if you aren't moving that fast. Sometimes there is bit of a repetitive feel because you are making the same left turn around the track over and over. An interesting aspect is the different driving view modes available. Some people like the first person view where they feel like the action is right in front of them, but others enjoy being able to see the car to make better turns. It would have been interesting to have more of a role in the pit stop and be able to change the tires, but maybe that will be a feature in an upcoming year's game. While not a huge addition, there are also two different driving models, "Normal" and "Pro," which changes your handling with the cars in case the difficulty becomes too and you want a challenge.
Graphics: This is where the NASCAR series improved the most from last year. The graphics are very smooth and even though the cars may look a little bit too shiny, it is without question the best the series has ever looked and the images are no longer pixilated and choppy. When creating your own car, the model that you build looks like the model on the racetrack which makes the game much more interesting.
Gameplay: Being able to create your own car and choose your own sponsors adds to the overall game play because you are deciding what car you want on the track. NASCAR 09 is not an arcade type game, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what type of gamer you are. It's more of a simulation, which sometimes can work against it because even when you are going max speed, it may still feel as if you aren't moving that fast. Sometimes there is bit of a repetitive feel because you are making the same left turn around the track over and over. An interesting aspect is the different driving view modes available. Some people like the first person view where they feel like the action is right in front of them, but others enjoy being able to see the car to make better turns. It would have been interesting to have more of a role in the pit stop and be able to change the tires, but maybe that will be a feature in an upcoming year's game. While not a huge addition, there are also two different driving models, "Normal" and "Pro," which changes your handling with the cars in case the difficulty becomes too and you want a challenge.
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